Submerging-rudder for submarines.



E. SCHNEIDER.

SUBMERGING RUDDER FOR SUBMARINES.

APPLICATXON FILED DEC.9.1916. 1,246,475. Patented Nov. 13, 1917.

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SUBNIEHGING RUDDER FOR SUBMARINES. APPLXCATION H LED DEC9| |916.

1 ,246,475. Patented Nov. 13,1917.

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EUGENE SCHNEIDER, orne. cnnUsoT, FRANCE.

sUBMERGING-RUDDER i Fon- SUBMARINES.

ders capable of being Vfolded fiat against the side of the hull, and it has also been proposed to use non-pivoted rudders adapted to be retracted wholly or partly into the interior'o the hull, that is to say, rudders whereof the blade has a iXed inclination relatively to the vessel, the variations of its action for the purpose of submerging being produced in this case by causing the blade to project more or less from its containing recess in the vessel.

The former of those two ways oit diminish- .ing the resistance of the rudder in its inoperative position, hasthe result that the rudder is not sufficiently protected in its inoperative position, and more particularly the rigidity of the liXing of the rudder blade upon the rudder shank is diminished. The second manner of retracting the rudder has the drawback of rendering the submerging operation too slow.

The present invention has now :tor its object to provide an improved apparatus which will do away with the drawbacks of both the two methods above referred-to. According to this invention the rudders which are capable of being retracted into a recess in the interior of the hull of the vessel, are rendered capable of pivoting, that is to say, of operating by rotation, after their protrusion from the said recess. For this purpose the rudder blade is mounted on a rudder shank which can be kept permanently retracted, and on which the rudder blade is adapted to slide for the purposes of being protruded and retracted. The rotation of the rudder shank carries around with it the sliding rudder blade and thus allows of rotating the latter for steering purposes as desired as soon as it has been moved out into its position of complete protrusion.

Specification of Letters Patent.

rat-enten Nov. 13, 1917.

Application tiled December 9, 1916. .Y Serial No. 136,117.

The 'longitudinal movements of the rudder blade sliding alongits rotatable shank, for the purpose of protruding and retracting the rudder blade, may of course be produced by mechanical power or by hand through suitable gearing. The said movements may also be produced by means of hydraulic or pneumatic mechanism, for instance by em- 'ploying a telescopic rudder shank one mem-- ber of which would constitute the rudder shank proper, while the other member would be' liXed "to the rudder'blade, yor apiston might be employed that is iixedto the rudder shank and is movablein a'sleeve formed on the rudder blade. y s

Two embodiments 'of this invention are illustrated by way of example` in the accom-- panying drawings Y ,.Figuresrl to 4 illustrate one embodiment. Fig. l is a. halt vertical cross section of a submarine taken along the axis of the submerging rudders, which latter are construct -ed accordingto this invention.

Figs. 2 and 3 are vertical cross sections respectively on the lines lI-II and Ill- Ill of Fig. 1.

' Fig. 4 is a. half plan ot a rudder of which the sliding blade is shown in full lines in its retracted position, while the dot and dash lines show it in Yits protruded position wherein it can be rotated for steering purposes.

Figs. 5 and 6 show the second embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 5 is a half vertical cross section ot a submarine taken along the axis of the shank of the submerging rudders.

Fig. 6 is a vertical cross section on the line VI-VI of Fig. 5.

VReferring first tothe example shown in Figs. l to 4, vthe blade A of the submerging rudder. engages by means of a sleeve a3 on the rudder shank B on which it rests with a bearing part a provided with two collars L1-a2. This bearing part is mounted in a bearing C which is capable of moving transversely of the submarine, in guides 01-02 iixed to the walls l)1 of a recess formed in the hull D of the submarine.

The movement of the rudder blade for the purpose of protruding or retracting it, may be produced for example by means of a screw spindle c3 operated from the interior of the vessel as hereinafter stated. This screw is adapted to rotate without longitudinal motion in a bearing c4 iXed to the wall D1.

In the retracting movement of the rudder, the bearing C which has a boss C1 engaging like a nut on the screw c3, carries with it the rudder blade A from its external posit-ion shown in dot andA dash lines, into its internal position shown in' full lines in Fig. l. K

The sliding movement of the rudder blade on the rudder shank B without rotation, is effected by means of a feather key b carried by the latter, and engaging in a groove at extending along the entire length of the sleeve a3.

The key b and the groove at assure also that the rudder shank shall carry around with it the rudder blade when the latter is in its external position.

In its inward movement the rudder blade enters between th guides 01 and c2, into the recess that is formed by the walls D1 and the hull of the submarine.

In the example shown in Figs. l, 2, 8 and 4, the recess for the rudder blade is assumed to lbe so constructed that its greatest dimension is horizontal.

In the example shown in Figs. 5 and 6 which relates to a submarine of the same type, the recess for the rudder blade has its greatest dimension vertical. Consequently it is necessary before retracting the rudder blade, to bring it into a vertical position by means of its shank.

Whatever arrangement is adopted, the recess for the rudder blade is formed by suitable deformations of the plating of the hull of the submarine and of partial partitions. In the figures the submarine is assumed to be of the type having a double hull with external ballast tanks.

The rudder shank B and the screw spindle c3 for actuating the bearing C, extend through suitable stuiilng boxes 51 and c5 into the inner hull of the submarine. Of course only that part of the screw spindle c3 should be screw-threaded which is outside the said hull.

The rudder shank may be actuated in the usual manner, for instance by means of a toothed sector E and a tangential worm F and power or hand gear. The rota-tion of the screw spindle c3 for actuating the bearing C may likewise be produced by any sui able means. i i

Instead of a solid rudder shank B along which the rudder blade A is adapted to slide by means of a vsleeve a3 for the purpose of protruding and retracting the rudder blade, it is to be understood that the inverse arrangement may be employed, namely, a hollow rudder shank in which a solid axial member formed in kone piece with or fixed to the rudder blade is guided and by which it can be rotated.

That I claim is 1. In a submarine having a rudder-receiving recess in its hull, a rotatable rudder shank mounted therein, a rudder blade provided with a sleeve having a splined engagement with said shank, and means for sliding said sleeve on its shank to move said blade in and out of said recess for steering purposes.

2. In a submarine having a rudder-receiving recess in itsk hull, a rotatable rudder shank mounted in said recess, a rudder blade provided with a sleeve having a splined engagement with said shank, a non-rotatable bearing for said sleeve movable therewith in said recess, and means engaging said bearing for sliding said sleeve onsaid shank to move said blade in and out of said recess for steering purposes.

3. In a submarine having a rudder-receiving recess in its hull, a rotatable rudder shank mounted in said recess, a rudder blade provided with a sleeve having a splined engagement with said shank, a non-rotatable bearing for said sleeve movable therewith in said recess, and a blade-positioning spindle having threaded engagement with said bearing.

1l. In a submarine provided with a rud` der-receiving recess, a rotatable rudder shank therein and a rudder slidable in respect to such 'shank and rotatable therewith, means for moving said rudder in and out of said recess, and means for rotating said rudder in its extended position.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

EUGENE SCHNEIDER.

Witnesses:

CHAs. P. PRESSLY, ANDR MosTIoKER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

' Washington, D. C. 

